783. 'Hold up your hands'; to signify assent.
785. to make it wys, to make it a matter of wisdom or deliberation; so also made it strange, made it a matter of difficulty, A. 3980.
791. 'To shorten your way with.' In M. E., the prep. with always comes next the verb in phrases of this character. Most MSS. read our for your here, but this is rather premature. The host introduces his proposal to accompany the pilgrims by the use of our in l. 799, and we in l. 801; the proposal itself comes in l. 803.
792. As to the number of the tales, see vol. iii. pp. 374, 384.
798. 'Tales best suited to instruct and amuse.'
799. our aller cost, the expense of us all; here our = A. S. ūre, of us; see ll. 710, 823.
808. mo, more; A. S. mā. In M. E., mo generally means 'more in number,' whilst more means 'larger,' from A. S. māra. Cf. l. 849.
810. and our othes swore, and we swore our oaths; see next line.
817. In heigh and lowe. 'Lat. In, or de alto et basso, Fr. de haut en bas, were expressions of entire submission on one side, and sovereignty on the other.'—Tyrwhitt. Cotgrave (s. v. Bas) has:—'Taillables haut et bas, taxable at the will and pleasure of their lord.' It here means—'under all circumstances.'
819. fet, fetched; from A. S. fetian, to fetch, pp. fetod.